What is Tetany?
Tetany is a more serious form of muscle spasms, which can last a few minutes or a few hours. Symptoms of tetany can include, but are not limited to:
- Muscle cramps, usually in the hands and feet
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Heart issues
Tetany can be caused by:
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Calcium deficiency
- Magnesium deficiency
Most cases of tetany are mild, although severe cases can be life-threatening. Tetany can affect people of all ages, races, and genders.
What is the Connection Between Tetany and Celiac Disease?
If untreated, celiac disease usually leads to malabsorption and vitamin deficiencies; these vitamin deficiencies in turn can lead to tetany. Thus, tetany can be a temporary symptom of celiac disease, and should resolve on the gluten-free diet.
In severe cases, celiac disease can lead to celiac crisis, with potentially life-threatening symptoms leading to hospitalization. One such symptom is acute diarrhea leading to extremely low calcium or magnesium levels. This can cause symptoms of tetany. A study found that a two-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with muscle cramps and tremors, with reports of chronic diarrhea. The study found that tetany as a feature of celiac disease was caused by a severe calcium deficiency resulting from malabsorption.
A case study found spontaneous episodes of tetany in three adult patients who were later diagnosed with celiac disease. The original cause of tetany was calcium and magnesium deficiencies. After restoring calcium levels and eating a gluten-free diet, the symptoms of tetany were resolved.
Regardless of ongoing research, if you have celiac disease and are experiencing symptoms even while strictly adhering to the gluten-free diet, you may want to speak with your doctor about tetany.
How is Tetany Treated?
Tetany is a medical emergency and needs medical attention. Because tetany is a symptom of other conditions, the root cause needs to be addressed to resolve the tremors. It is always best to speak to your doctor if you’re experiencing tremors and/or tetany.
